US8264344B2 - Remote surveillance and intervention using wireless phone - Google Patents

Abstract

A mobile surveillance appliance receives sensed data over a wireless link from a remote sensing post which monitors a remotely monitored space having a predefined spatial location and transmits the sensed data. The mobile surveillance appliance provides a display of the sensed data from monitored space and an intervention controller which, when activated responsive to an event perceived on the display, encodes the predefined spatial location and an event melioration onto a remote intervention request, and transmits the intervention request to a remote intervener. The remote sensing post, mobile surveillance appliance, and remote intervener may communicate using SIP messaging.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention pertains to remote surveillance and intervention, more particularly, remote surveillance and intervention using a mobile handheld device.

BACKGROUND

A mobile user may have a desire to easily and, perhaps, unobtrusively surveil or monitor a remote location for the occurrence of a condition or event (“event”). The mobile user may have a concomitant desire to seek advice, or to request third-party intervention with the remote location event. Currently, remote surveillance and monitoring activities (“surveillance”) are undertaken by a third-party agent on behalf of a user, a business, and the like, typically under a for-fee service agreement. A service agreement also may specify control or intervention (“intervention”) activities to be undertaken by the agent on behalf of the mobile user. Under such an arrangement, the third-party agent performs surveillance and intervention (“S&I”) functions substantially autonomously from the mobile user contracting for these services, tending to narrow the scope of intervention functions that may be undertaken. Typically, the third-party agent, after a delay, notifies the mobile user of an observed event, or of an intervention action taken in response to the agent's observation. The mobile user may have no opportunity to interact with, or to direct, remote interveners as the event evolves. As is typical of current for-fee S&I service agreements, the surveillance assets are specified and deployed under the exclusive control of the third-party agent. Also, the provisions of many S&I agreements are defined by inclusion, that is, only those services, which are specified in the S&I service agreement are available to the mobile user. Examples include the scope of S&I services provided, the number of employees engaged and assigned, the communication and notification infrastructure and protocols used, and the surveillance assets deployed and installed. An incremental expansion of S&I services can be obtained, if at all, at an additional cost to the mobile user.

Conventional third-party S&I installations and services may be expensive or may lack the flexibility or intervention characteristics desired by a mobile user who desires, for example, occasional, event-driven, or multiple-site surveillance and intervention services. Indeed, the sheer number of potentially monitored locations, and the range of events suitable for ad hoc intervention, can be staggering. In a great number of instances, a mobile user wants the ability to make first-hand observations, to decide what action, if any, ought to be taken for a given event, and to select which response may be most desirable, given the nature of what is observed. In many cases, the mobile user may prefer to perform ad-hoc remote surveillance personally, without the burden or expense of a commercial third-party vendor, and to initiate and direct requests for intervention, with remotely positioned friends, family, employees, contractors, agents, fire safety personnel, or law enforcement, acting as remote interveners.

Accordingly, there is a need for mobile communications appliances and methods that satisfy the need for versatile, low-cost surveillance and intervention implementations that offer the mobile user the capabilities of remote location surveillance and, when desired, of remote event intervention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a simplified illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a surveillance system, according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a simplified illustration of another exemplary embodiment of a surveillance system, according to the present invention;

FIG. 3A is a depiction of an exemplary unmodified, application-layer, text-based messaging header, as may be communicated by a mobile surveillance appliance used in the surveillance systems inFIG. 1 and inFIG. 2, in accordance with selected embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 3B is a depiction of an exemplary modified, application-layer, text-based messaging header, as may be communicated by mobile surveillance appliance used in the surveillance systems inFIG. 1 andFIG. 2, in accordance with other selected embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention provide a mobile surveillance system, a mobile surveillance appliance, and a mobile surveillance method that can enable a mobile user to monitor a remote location and to effect a remote intervention for a perceived event at the remote location. A mobile surveillance appliance can receive sensed data over a first wireless link from a remote sensing post, which monitors a predefined remotely monitored space having a predefined spatial location. The predefined remotely monitored space is associated with a predefined spatial location. The first wireless link can be coupled to a fixed wireless network access point, which itself is coupled to a packetized data network. The remote sensing post can be identified by a unique spatial identifier corresponding to the predefined spatial location, and may encode the unique spatial identifier onto the sensed data to provide spatial identification of the sensed data source. The unique spatial identifier may include spatial and non-spatial descriptive attributes corresponding, for example, to the mobile user, to the predefined remotely monitored space, to the event perceived by the mobile user, to a remote intervention, or to a remote intervener. A unique locator code may be a compact token, corresponding to the unique spatial identifier. The mobile surveillance appliance may store, in memory, remotely monitored space data, corresponding to at least one of the predefined spatial location, a spatial descriptive attribute, and a non-spatial descriptive attribute, or of a unique locator code corresponding thereto. The mobile surveillance appliance can transform the sensed data into a representation of the predefined remotely monitored space that is perceivable by the mobile user, thereby permitting the mobile user to surveil the remotely monitored space. The remote sensing post may be capable of remote activation and control by the mobile user, and may transmit a notification to the mobile surveillance appliance upon the occurrence of a predetermined sensed condition, which may indicate the occurrence of an event. The remote sensing post may detect plural physical dimensions, including without limitation, image, sound, motion, heat, atmospheric or seismic disturbances, and any combination thereof. The mobile user may effect a remote intervention, responsive to the predetermined sensed condition, or the event perceived, in the predefined remotely monitored space, by transmitting a remote intervention request to a remote intervener over a second wireless link. The second wireless link may be coupled to a mobile wireless network access point and to a telephony network. The second wireless link also may be coupled to a packetized data network, so that the remote intervention request also may be transmitted over a portion of the packetized data network. The mobile surveillance appliance may include an intervention controller capable of causing the mobile surveillance appliance to form remote intervention request and to transmit the remote intervention request to a remote agent over the second wireless link. The intervention controller also may cause the mobile surveillance appliance to encode the unique spatial identifier, or the unique locator code, onto the remote intervention request, before transmission to the remote intervener. The remote intervener may be a remote agent that directly undertakes on behalf of the mobile user, an event melioration corresponding with the remote intervention request. The remote intervener may be a remote human intervener, a remote automated intervener, or a combination thereof. The mobile user may use the mobile surveillance appliance to perceive the remote event, and to direct a remote automated intervener to undertake a melioration of the event.

Conveniently, the mobile surveillance appliance may be implemented using relatively inexpensive, commercially available mobile communications appliances that are adapted and configured to communicate using a mobile wireless networking mode and a fixed wireless networking mode. Mobile wireless networks typically provide telephony services; fixed wireless networks typically provide packetized data network services, including Internet services. Entities and protocols employed by the respective wireless modes are generally adapted to communicate with fixed-link entities and protocols of the same mode. Suitable sensors may communicate sensed data with a mobile surveillance appliance using one or both communication modes. Intermodal communications between fixed and mobile wireless networks or between packetized data and telephony networks, while possible, are not a requirement.

Dual-mode (fixed/mobile wireless) mobile surveillance appliances, configured in accordance with the present invention, synergistically meld the advantageous characteristics of both packetized data network and telephony modes of operation. For example, wireless personal data terminals are mobile communications appliances that transmit data signals over packetized data networks, such as the Internet. Wireless personal data terminals enable a stationary or low-mobility user to communicate with nearly any other data terminal connected to, or service provided on, the Internet, at a very low per-user cost. Wireless portions of these data networks are operated using radio-based, fixed wireless network access protocols. In general, fixed wireless network access protocols include the IEEE STD. 802 wireless LAN/MAN protocols, the ETSI Broadband Radio Access Networks (BRAN) protocols, and the Korean TTA wireless broadband protocols. The IEEE 802 wireless protocols can include 802.11 wireless protocols (WiFi®), 802.15 wireless protocols (Bluetooth®), and the 802.16 protocols (WiMAX®). The ETSI/BRAN protocols may include HIPERLAN/1, HIPERLAN/2, HIPERACCESS, and HIPERMAN protocols. The Korean TTA wireless broadband protocols generally correspond to the WiBRO protocols. For the most part, each of these protocols specifies only the lowest two layers of the Reference Model for Open Systems Interconnection (OSI). As used herein, the term “WLAN” and fixed wireless networking includes both local are networking and wide area networking. Local area networking can include personal area networking, including the use of piconets, as described in the context of IEEE 802.15-related protocols. Wide area networking further can include wide area cellular networking. Fixed wireless network access protocols, which frequently employ a switched packet store-and forward communication paradigm for inexpensive bulk data signal transfers. Fixed wireless networking allows fixed wireless service operators to offer a communication portal as a “hotspot,” or signal coverage zone, having a typical diameter of less than 300 meters, although clusters of hotspots and metropolitan-wide coverage may provide greater range to users of fixed wireless networking.

In the United States, equipment following the IEEE 802.11x (WiFi®) standards achieved widespread acceptance and use. Many thousands of WiFi® hotspots are located worldwide in venues like airports, shops, and social gathering areas. A venue operator may offer a WiFi® fixed wireless access hotspot as a convenience to its customers, under an agreement with a fixed wireless service operator. However, fixed wireless links sharply restrict the mobility of wireless users because these links typically lack the interzonal handoff capabilities and the mobile user location awareness that simplify roaming network connectivity. In addition, fixed wireless networking facilities usually operate under an Internet Service Provider (ISP) paradigm with hot spots in a region being hosted by a patchwork of fixed wireless service operators, each of whom, in turn, may be provisioned fixed-link network access and bandwidth by an ISP. The ISP paradigm may offer customer service, charging, billing, and security services to a fixed wireless operator client, but not to the operator of the hotspot venue or to a mobile user, who may be a venue customer. Moreover, delay-sensitive data signals requiring pleisochronous (near-real-time) management, such as voice or real-time interactive multimedia displays can be afforded a higher Quality of Service, although usually at a premium. Further, some fixed wireless networking protocols offer limited communication security. Nevertheless, fixed wireless data networking tends to be an inexpensive mode of wireless networking that tends to favor stationary or low-mobility users.

By comparison, a mobile wireless telephone offers voice and data services using technologies that conform to international radiocommunication (hereinafter, cellular) standards developed under the aegis of the International Telecommunications Union Standards group (ITU-T) and other global standard-setting bodies. These standards include digital cellular telephony protocols enhanced with packetized data capabilities (2.5G); packetized digital cellular telephony protocols (3G); packetized digital cellular telephony protocols enhanced by selected broadband digital data services (3X); and successor telephony protocols, which offer a vast array of broadband mobile wireless capabilities (4G). IMT-2000 is the current global standard for third generation (3G) wireless communications, defined by a set of interdependent ITU Recommendations that is being implemented worldwide. IMT-2000 provides a framework for global wireless access by linking the diverse systems of terrestrial and/or satellite based networks.

By conforming to these standards, current cellular terminals enjoy a wide degree of interoperability. Cellular telephony networks can be coupled to fixed-wire telephony networks, primarily because each are designed to employ a switched circuit, point-to-point communication paradigm, which facilitates pleisochronous and other delay-sensitive communications. Cellular technologies provide broad service coverage by employing multiple, overlapping coverage areas (cells), with each cell having a diameter ranging typically from 1 km to 50 km. Using sophisticated handoff and user tracking procedures, cellular networks are suitable for point-to-point communications by highly mobile users roaming within a vast geographic area. Suitable for highly mobile users (space, time, or both), cellular networks are managed by relatively large regional or national wireless telephony operators, with sophisticated customer service, charging, billing, and security capabilities.

Although largely compatible, mobile wireless networks are not completely homogeneous. For example, the physical layers, operating frequencies, and security techniques may differ among adjacent territories. In addition, the accounting, access, and authentication processes of one mobile wireless provider in a particular mobile wireless region may not be used by an adjacent provider, thereby impeding mobile wireless communication. Some incompatibilities may be surmounted by physically replacing an incompatible profile card disposed within the mobile phone with a compatible profile card. Roaming charges among disparate systems and tariff zones may make communication over mobile wireless networks quite costly, particularly for bulk data transfers, or inconvenient for quick communications. Thus, despite certain advantages, mobile wireless service may be unavailable or undesirable to a mobile user. On the other hand, a mobile user with access to a fixed wireless link may communicate over the Internet, including voice communication services implemented with the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services. A mobile user equipped with a mobile communication appliance, having both mobile wireless and fixed wireless capabilities, may place a telephone call using VoIP, in place of cellular, technology.

Advantageously, modern mobile wireless telephones are multifunctional mobile communications appliances that integrate the characteristics of wireless networking and wireless telephony, and that feature an operating system and programming capabilities supporting advanced service functions, such as a video display and programmable keys, and sophisticated programmability features. In particular, dual-mode mobile wireless telephones offer wireless access to both telephony-type (point-to-point) and packetized data-type (store-and-forward) networks to a mobile user from many places throughout the world. For example, a mobile user may employ a dual-mode mobile wireless telephone using a first wireless mode to receive bulk data signals, for example, from a remote sensing post, and a second wireless mode to send point-to-point voice signal or message. The first wireless mode may be a fixed wireless networking mode and the second wireless mode can be a mobile wireless networking mode. It is desirable to implement selected embodiments of a mobile surveillance appliance (MSA) according to the present invention, using a dual-mode mobile wireless telephone. One example of such a dual-mode wireless phone can include a Motorola® CN620 Mobile Office Device, and another example is a Motorola® A910 Dual-Mode Phone, although many other dual mode devices can be suitable for a MSA. As used herein, the term remote is indicative of inaccessibility, representing a relative spatial relationship by which one entity is set apart from another, irrespective of distance. For the most part, remote can be understood to be relative to a mobile user.

In a mobile surveillance system, a MSA receives data from a remote sensing post (RSP). A suitable sensor for a RSP can be exemplified by a webcam, may be capable of capturing frame-sampled or streaming video images, which are representative of a predefined remotely monitored space (RMS). A webcam typically is configured to convert captured video images into sensed data, and to transmit the sensed data, using an Internet Protocol (IP) protocol, over packetized data network (e.g., the Internet). The MSA, when coupled to the Internet using a fixed wireless link supporting the IP protocol, can be configured to receive the sensed video data and to provide a perceivable representation of the sensed remote video data to the mobile user on a video display. Advantageously, a webcam can be adapted to respond to sound, motion, light, heat, or nearly any physically detectable quantity. A webcam also can be self-contained and require no adjacent personal computer to provide network services. Furthermore, some webcams can be manipulated remotely from over the Internet, changing zoom, scan position, and frame delivery by simple commands. Selected webcams also may store sensed data on a hard drive, or equivalent, are make the sensed data available upon command from an MSA. A Linksys® Wireless-G Internet Video Camera (Linksys Corporation, Irvine, Calif.) is a webcam that can capture and transmit sensed data, in video format, as described herein, although other webcams may be used.

Accordingly,FIG. 1 illustratesmobile surveillance system100, which generally includesMSA105 communicating withRSP111. A mobile user (MU, not shown) can useMSA105 to receive fromRSP111 sensed data representative ofevent125 at selected remote physical location (RPL)121.RSP111 can monitor apredetermined RMS127, and can transmit remote sensed data toMSA105.MSA105 can provide a perceivable representation ofevent125, for example, by imaging received sensed video data onMSA display107.RSP111 may be coupled toISP117 through a network interface having a globally-unique media access control address (MAC address), and a logical Internet Protocol address (IP address), which is unique within a defined logical network known toISP117.MSA105 may use an IP address ofRSP111 to identify a logical source address for sensed video data transmitted overIP network115.RSP111 may so transmit sensed video data in response to an intervention command received from MSA105 (e.g., a PULL operation), or in response to a RSP transmission protocol (e.g., a PUSH operation).

To create a communication link withMSA105,RSP111 may be coupled throughISP117 toIP network115 and, in turn, toWSP110.MSA105 may communicate over wireless networking link (NLINK)141 withWSP110.MSA105 includes a first transceiver (implicit, not shown) capable of transmitting and receiving overNLINK141, according to a wireless networking protocol. Upon perceivingevent125, the MU may effect a remote intervention for perceivedevent125 atRPL121, by activatingMSA intervention controller109.Controller109 can be, for example, a programmable key which cooperates with a S&I application program to causeMSA105 to form a remote intervention request (RIR)165. Advantageously, activation ofcontroller109 also may cause a program executing onMSA105 to extractUSI121, or a representation thereof, from received video data, and, if desired, to encodeUSI121 ontoRIR165.Controller109 also may be used to initiate transmission ofRIR165 to a remote agent or intervener, for example,RA150. To this end,MSA105 can communicateRIR165 over radiotelephony link (RLINK)160 tocellular provider162, for example using a second transceiver (implicit, not shown).Cellular provider162 can be coupled totelephony network164, to whichRA150 also may be coupled by fixed-wire public switched telephone network (PSTN)166, thereby providing a communication path by whichRA150 can receiveRIR165 fromMSA105. Typically, the content ofRIR165 directsRA150 to respond, and to bring about, melioration ofevent125 perceived atRPL121.RA150 may respond on behalf of the MU, directly or indirectly through a second remote intervener, such as remote responder (RR)175. In an exemplary direct response,RA150 may command an employee or designate to travel toRPL121, to investigate the perceived circumstance, and to undertake melioration. In an exemplary indirect response,RA150 can issue toRR175 over radio link170 a directive to undertake a melioration of perceivedevent125, which may be a preselected melioration.RA150 may carry out the ends, expressed or implied, byRIR165 pursuant to a service contract with the MU, by mutual agreement, by law, or by protocol. Likewise, a service agreement, a mutual agreement, a law, a protocol may generally describe the authority under whichRA150 may prevail uponRR175 to carry out the ends, expressed or implied, byRIR165. The MU also may communicateRIR165 directly toRR175, alone, in place of, or in combination with, communicatingRIR165 toRA150. In addition, the MU may useMSA105 to communicate with the remote intervener, which may be one or both ofRA150 andRR175. Because telephony signals may be conveyed using packetized data, internetwork link190 is representative of internetwork coupling that may allowRIR165 to be communicated overIP network115. AlthoughRA150 is illustrated as being coupled totelephony network164 via fixed-wire PSTN166, andRR175 is illustrated as communicating withRA150 overlink170, it is understood thatRA150,RR175, or both, may receive telephony signals transmitted ofIP network115, for example, using well-known Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications apparatus. Furthermore,RA150 andRR175 are generally representative of a remote intervener. However, a remote intervener also may include a remote automated intervener disposed to be positioned atRPL121 orRMS127, which is adapted to take a melioration of perceivedevent125 in response to receivingRIR165.

It is desirable thatRMS127 have a predetermined spatial location, relative toRPL121. This predetermined spatial location may not be ascertainable solely from the logical IP address ofRSP111. Desirably,USI131 can be used to identify a predetermined spatial location ofRSP111 and, by extension, ofRMS127, relative to the general location ofRPL121.USI131 may correspond to the geographic coordinates of latitude and longitude of selectedRPL121, with an accurate representation of a given point of the Earth being theoretically determinable to within about 10 centimeters. For example,USI121 may be identified with the geographic coordinates ofRPL121, Latitude: 39°26′52.78″N and Longitude: 119°3′43.19″W. RA150 andRR175 may use geographic-coordinate-based position locating systems and devices, which may include well known Global Positioning System (GPS) and GPS locating devices, to identify the vicinity of RPL121-124. In many cases, a simple geographic coordinates can be a spatial descriptive attribute capable of providing sufficient spatial resolution. Using the above coordinates, anexemplary USI131 may be “39d26m52.78sN; 119d3m43.19sW.” In other cases, it may be beneficial to augment a spatial descriptive attribute with a non-spatial descriptive attribute to provide additional guidance for findingRMS127. For example, a non-spatial descriptive attribute may be “bedroom” (BDRM). With this augmentation, anexemplary USI131 may be “39d26m52.78sN; 119d3m43.19sW; BDRM.” In selected embodiments of the present invention, descriptive attributes forrespective RMS127 may be stored in a memory element of MSA105 (implicit, not shown) to be retrieved whenintervention controller109 is activated whileRMS127 is being viewed, for example, onMSA display107.RIR165 can be constituted of descriptive attributes retrieved from memory, or of a compact token representative of these attributes.

In some circumstances, standard geographic coordinates describe a two-dimensional spatial model, whereas the Earth and structures proximate to its surface exist in three-dimensions. In densely-developed areas or in multi-story structures, individual compartments or structures, such asRMS127, may be horizontally proximate or overlapping, but displaced vertically by hundreds of meters to perhaps less than a few tens of centimeters, adding ambiguity to a two-dimensional spatial location defined over three-dimensions. Such positioning ambiguity can be potentially problematic for a remote intervener, such asRA150 orRR175, who may be unfamiliar with the actual position ofRMS127 relative toRPL121. Positioning ambiguity may introduce undesirable delay in carrying out as requested intervention, while the remote intervener tries to resolve the vertical spatial ambiguity. Current Global Positioning System (GPS) sensing and positioning technology may exacerbate two-dimensional positioning ambiguity in a three-dimensional reference frame by introducing vertical plane positioning errors that may vary up to four orders of magnitude from a precise location (i.e., positioning errors ranging from a few centimeters to over one hundred meters).

Thus, for selected embodiments of the present invention, it is desirable to augment a portion ofUSI131, which may represent standard geographic coordinates, with additional spatial data to improve spatial positioning resolution. It also may be desirable to augmentUSI131 with non-spatial data, which may be useful to an intervener desiring to effect melioration upon the event perceived onMSA display107 and corresponding toRIR165, despite chaotic or confusing circumstances. Conveniently, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) devices and techniques may be used to collect and manage spatial and non-spatial data that may be associated withUSI131. Thus, selected embodiments herein may provideUSI131 with descriptiveattributes referencing RMS127 to a unique place on Earth, using geographically referenced spatial data, such as latitude and longitude, as augmented with state plane, elevation, and UTM data. Relative location-centric descriptive attributes may be used to augmentUSI131 with non-spatial and with relative spatial data. Spatial location-centric descriptive attributes can provide information allowing an intervener to locateRMS127 quickly and correctly, which may otherwise be difficult to find inRPL121. Pertinent relative spatial location-centric descriptive attributes can include location, proximity, and spatial distribution ofRMS127 relative to spaces and landmarks associated withRPL121 and its environs. Pertinent non-spatial, location-centric descriptive attributes can include nearly any pertinent characteristic that may be useful to theMU using MSA105, to an agent of the MU, or to a remote intervener confronted by an emergent situation demanding timely arrival atRPL121, and prompt initiation of a melioration in RMS126. In one example, suitable relative spatial location-centric descriptive attributes may indicate a building quadrant (e.g., NE, NW, SW, SW), an identifiable building section, a particular floor in a multistory building, a reference direction relative to the floor layout (e.g., inboard or outboard), a suite number or room number, or other spatial attributes ofRMS127. WhereRPL121 is a corporate setting, exemplary non-spatial descriptive attributes may include: building owner name; building designation, number, or identifier; emergency contact information; the existence and nature of hazards or hazardous materials to which interveners,RA150,RR175 may be exposed; the existence of mobility- or medically-impaired individuals withinRMS127; and specific reference data (e.g., keypad door lock access codes). WhereRPL121 is a private residence or health care setting, suitable non-spatial, location-centric descriptive attributes may include, without limitation: emergency contact information, a roster of residents or patients in or aroundRMS127, physical identifiers of persons of interest, the existence and nature of hazards to whichinterveners RA150,RR175 may be exposed, and a coded identifier for health records of a resident, a patient, and so on.USI131 also may be augmented with non-spatial network-centric descriptive attributes, for example, which may include one or both of the IP address and the MAC address associated withRSP111. The pertinent descriptive attributes that may augmentUSI131 are not limited to the nature and types illustrated in the above examples.USI131 also may have encoded therein, remote intervention commands to which a remote automated intervener may respond under the control ofMSA105.

Of course, the benefits of increased information may need to be weighed against added costs incurred by processing greater amounts of data, particularly where time may be of the essence. Although these costs may be significant taken together, any or all of data corresponding toRMS127 may be encoded onUSI121. In applications where efficiency may be advantageous, unique location code (ULC) can be a compact token assigned to, and representative of,USI121. Furthermore, an event identifier can be provided such that the nature of perceivedevent125 can be included withRIR165. The event identifier may be encoded onto, or supplement,USI121 or a ULC corresponding toUSI121. When received by an intervener having a database storing all or part of USI121-related data, the ULC may be used as an index key of a database of the descriptiveattributes constituting USI131. Such a database may be disposed entirely inMSA105, be disposed completely within the control of a remote intervener, such asRA150, or may be distributed betweenMSA105 and a remote intervener. Conveniently, it may be desirable to include a World Wide Web Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) as an entry in the database, where it is desirable to link to data, rather than to incorporate into the database all of the USI-related data represented by the link.

Turning toFIG. 2,mobile surveillance system200 can be functionally similar tomobile surveillance system100 inFIG. 1. In addition, certain simplifications of portions ofFIG. 1 are illustrated inFIG. 2. For example, each of network links (NPATHS)241-244 may represent a packetized data network link formed betweenMSA105 andRSP111, including fixedwireless link NLINK141 fromMSA105 to a fixed wireless access point provided byWSP110,IP network115,ISP117,RSP111, and packetized data network links therebetween. Similarly, telephony link (TPATH)240 may represent a telephony link formed betweenMSA105 andRA150, including a mobilewireless link TLINK160 fromMSA105 to a mobile wireless access point provided bycellular provider162,telephony network164,PSTN166,RA150, and the telephony network links therebetween. Although not explicitly shown,intermodal communication link190 also may constitute at least a portion of TPATH240.

MSA205 inFIG. 2 can be functionally similar toMSA105 inFIG. 1. Using principles elucidated above,MSA205 can be a dual-mode (fixed/mobile) wireless mobile telephone, havingdisplay207 andintervention controller209, and being configured to monitor multiple locations, for example, by receiving data from a selected one of RSP211-214 corresponding to a respective one of RMS226-229, which are associated with a respective one of RPL221-224.Intervention controller209 is illustrated to be a key or touch-button, butintervention controller209 also may be activated by MU speech, for a speech-enabledMSA205. RSP211-214 may be webcam capable of sensing and capturing as data an imageable representation of RMS226-229, and of transmitting the imaged data over NPATH241-244 toMSA205, in a manner similar toRSP111 inFIG. 1.MSA205 can be connectable to the Internet using, for example, a fixed wireless network service.MSA205 can communicate with at least one RSP211-214 over NLINK link241-244, and receive video data onMSA display207 for monitoring RMS226-229.MSA205 may receive from, and display, the sensed data received from RSP211-214, by manual selection, e.g., using the telephone keypad, or by way of a surveillance and intervention (S&I) applet executing on a processor withinMSA205. Conveniently, a S&I applet can automate selection of RSP211-214; may be used to interact with a video sensor of RSP211-214 over NLINK241-244; and may manipulate the sensed video data therefrom. As withUSI111 andRSP111 inFIG. 1, unique spatial identifier USI231-234 can identify respective ones of RSP211-214 and, by extension, respective ones of RMS226-229. USI231-234 are illustrated, for simplicity, by an exemplary, but arbitrary, three-alphanumeric-character ULC.USI231 is represented by ULC “XF2,”USI232 by ULC “J5H,”USI233 by ULC “4Q9,” andUSI234 by ULC “AG6.” For purposes of illustration inFIG. 2, respective ULC231-234 may be considered as synonymous with USI231-234. Thus, data sensed byRSP214 inRMS229, which is associated withRPL224, can include and be spatially identified by ULC234 (“AG6”).

In a further example of embodiments of the present invention, the MU can be a executive waiting at an airport over 10,000 km from home. The MU may have a service agreement withRA150 to undertake selected remote intervention for selected event at a predetermined remotely monitored space at a predetermined physical location. The airport may be a wireless service provider, similar toWSP110, providing to MSA205 a WiFi® fixed wireless link, such asNLINK141 inFIG. 1 and which a portion ofNPATH241 inFIG. 2. When coupled toNPATH241, and executing a S&I applet onMSA205, the executive may monitor multiple remotely monitored spaces in multiple remote physical locations at different places throughout the world. Non-inclusive examples of remotely monitored spaces include a selected repository (RMS226) in a remote warehouse (RPL221), a selected office suite (RMS227) in a remote office building (RPL222), the kitchen (RMS228) in the home of the executive's parents (RPL223), and the family room (RMS229) in the executive's home (RPL224). In this example, the unique spatial location of selected repository can be represented by ULC231 (“XF2”), the selected office suite by ULC232 (“J5H”), the parents' kitchen by ULC232 (“4Q9”), and the family room by ULC234 (“AG6”). During the course of monitoring onMSA display207, the MU may perceiveevent225, e.g., a fire, occurring in mobile user's family room,RMS229. Upon perceivingevent225, the MU activatesintervention controller207, causingMSA205 to extract the spatial location ofevent225 from the sensed video data fromRSP214, here ULC234 in the form of code “AG6.”Intervention controller207 also can causeMSA205 to generateRIR265.Exemplary RIR265 is illustrated to be “DX-2FO-3mm9-G9-AG6,” which may be generated from five tokens. The first token ofexemplary RIR265, e.g., “DX,” may indicate the class of service, or nature of service agreement between the MU andRA250. The second token, e.g., “2FO,” may identify the nature of interaction between the MU andRA150 untilevent225 is resolved. For example, one meaning of token “2FO” may directRA150 to contact theMU using MSA205 telephonically (i.e., over TPATH260), confirming remote intervention initiation, and to provide periodic status and contact updates toMSA205 via e-mail at an e-mail address associated withMSA205. In addition, token “2FO” may authorizeRA250 to initiate situational monitoring and intervention viaresponder link255, for example, causingRSP214 to feed sensed video data toRS250, perhaps identified byULC234, as well. Within the context of the agreement, by protocol, or by law, firstremote intervener RA250 may be authorized to request the assistance of secondremote intervener RR275, e.g., a public fire department. The third token, “3mm9,” can be a personal security number, identifying the MU and authenticating the intervention request. The fourth token ofRIR265, i.e., “G9,” may identify the nature of perceivedevent325, e.g., a fire, and requestRA250 to dispatch fire and rescue services to a specified location due to perceivedevent225 being a fire. The fifth token, “AG6,” can be ULC234 indicating thatevent225 is occurring inRMS229 atRPL224. Although it is sufficient thatULC234 be representative of the unique spatial location ofRMS229, it also may be representative of non-spatial information relative toRMS229, as well as toRPL224, which may be useful to alertRA150,RR275 in taking such additional precautions. For example, a family pet—a large dog—may be athome224; and several gallons of volatile solvents may be disposed in a loft withinhome224, as well. The dog, if upset, may represent a risk of harm to an uninformed intervener, as may be the volatile solvents, unless additional precautions are taken.ULC234 can be an index into a USI database, possibly maintained byRA250, in which the presence of the dog, and the presence, location, and nature of the stored solvents (e.g., CAS numbers used by first responders), may be stored as non-spatial, location-centric descriptive attributes.

MSA205 can be configured to communicate using application-layer, text-based, messaging protocols. Advantageously, the Internet Engineering Task Force defined a suite of interactive multimedia communication protocols, which have been adopted by corresponding telephony and the data networking industries, affording a common language for upper-layer communication management. Appliances such asMSA205 may be adapted to provide services over telephony networks and packetized data networks, using an application-layer, text-based, messaging protocol.MSA205 can be configured with operating system functions and application programs supporting telephony services by the use of this upper-layer communication management.

Although telephony services include mobile wireless services and fixed-wire telephony services coupled thereto, telephony services also may include fixed wireless services and data networking services, for example, in the implementation of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony services over the Internet. Thus,MSA205 may receive sensed data as a bulk data transfer from RSP211-214, for example over an inbound WiFi® link, as the MU usesMSA205 to sendRIR265, to make a VoIP telephone call, or to coordinate with RSP211-214 a remote automated event intervention, over an outbound WiFi® link to the Internet. This capability is beneficial, for example, when mobile wireless links are unavailable or undesirable. Embodiments of the invention herein encompass implementations whereMSA205 may be adapted to communicate using a second fixed wireless protocol, such as an IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.15 protocol, an 802.16 protocol, a HIPERLAN/2 protocol, a HIPERMAN protocol, or a WiBRO protocol, as well as protocols supporting IEEE 802.1x port-based access control WLAN protocol.

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is representative of an upper-layer, text-based, messaging protocol. As used herein, SIP encompasses lower-layer supporting protocols, which collectively implement call management for interactive Internet conferencing, telephony, presence, events notification and instant messaging, and which may be used to establish, modify and terminate “sessions” over IP networks. These sessions could be as basic as a telephone call, or as complex as a multi-party mixed media session. SIP can be representative of nearly any upper-layer, text-based messaging protocol, which permits simplified message analysis and formation.

Messages received byMSA205 may include character-text headers, from which can be determined an SIP message source, destination, and purpose, as well as administrative and security information, and the like. If a data payload is present in the message, then text-based payload delimiters may be included, along with the payload. Similarly, messages transmitted byMSA205 may be formed and encoded with source and destination identifiers of the message to be transmitted byMSA205, along with administrative data, security information, etc. If a data payload is in the message to be transmitted byMSA205, text-based payload delimiters can be included with the payload. Within the context of the present invention,MSA205 can communicate with RSP211-214 to receive a first message over a fixed wireless network, and to transmit a second message toRA250 over a mobile wireless network, responsive to receiving the first message. In general, SIP-capable communications betweenMSA205 and RSP211-214 and betweenMSA205 andRA250 may be loosely described as type of a reply-response exchange.

Although many types of reply-response exchanges may be realized through existing SIP messages and headers, for simplicity of illustration, an INVITE message is illustrated as an archetypal reply-response exchange that may occur between RSP211-214 andMSA205, or betweenMSA205 and a remote intervener,RA250,RR275.MSA205 can transmit to RSP211-214 an INVITE message initiating video data capture and transmission, and providing RSP211-214 with a return IP address corresponding toMSA205 to which the sensed video data is to be transmitted. In response, RSP211-214 can acknowledge receipt of the INVITE toMSA205, and then establish a session withMSA205 by which RSP211-214 transmits sensed video data toMSA205 over NPATH241-244.

As described in the previous example, the MU can observe perceivable representations of RMS226-229 onMSA display207. Upon perceivingevent225 occurring in RMS226-229, the MU can activateintervention controller209, by making a single keystroke oncontroller209 ofMSA205, by a keystroke oncontroller209 and a keystroke on a keypad onMSA205, by issuing a voice command to a voice-command-capable MSA205, or by a combination thereof. In certain embodiments,MSA205 can determine the spatial location corresponding to perceivedevent225 observed onMSA display207 by extracting USI231-234 from the sensed data. If the USI is encoded as an ULC, thenMSA205 causes ULC231-234 to be extracted. Activation ofintervention controller209 also can causeMSA205 to generateRIR265, and an outbound SIP INVITE message. The extracted spatial information, for example, ULC231-234, may be encoded ontoRIR265, or may be included withRIR265, which itself can be encoded onto an intervention message, such as an outbound SIP INVITE message. Activation ofintervention controller209 also may causeMSA205 to transmit the outbound SIP INVITE message (intervention message) overTPATH260 toremote intervener RA250,RR275. Upon receiving the intervention message fromMSA205,remote intervener RA250,RR275, can determine the selected remote intervention, and the predefined spatial location of the remotely monitored space for which the selected remote intervention is requested, and may respond thereto, thereby effecting the selected remote intervention at the event. The outbound SIP INVITE message also can be used to establish a session withremote intervener RA250,RR275. Other SIP response and reply messages may be used as well. For example, many webcams are coupled to motion and sound sensors, and are capable of initiating data transmission toMSA205 when a sensed condition occurs in RMS226-229. The sensed condition may indicate, for example, the occurrence ofevent225. The MU can causeMSA205 to generate and transmit a SIP SUBSCRIBE request message to RSP211-214, subscribing to a server function of RSP211-214. Upon the occurrence of the sensed condition, RSP211-214 may alert the MU by transmitting a SIP NOTIFY response message toMSA205.MSA205 may then transmit a SIP INVITE message back to RSP211-214, negotiating sensed data transfer from RSP211-214 toMSA205, which may include sensed video data, sensed audio data, and other sensed data, within the capability and configuration of RSP211-214. RSP211-214 also may initiate a SIP INVITE message toMSA205, and may commence server push of sensed data toMSA205. Although the remote intervener has been illustrated in the context of a human agent remote intervener, including organizations, such as S&I, public safety, and law enforcement interveners, a remote intervener also can be a remote automated intervener, configured to be controlled, at least in part, byMSA205. A remote automated intervener can be drawn from a diversity of remote-controlled effectors, including fire control, security, protective, and health-related apparatus, which may be activated in place of, or in cooperation with, one or more human agent intervener.

FIG. 3A illustrates an exemplarySIP message header300 that is identified as a SIPINVITE message header305. In accordance with standard SIP practice known to those of ordinary skill in the art, the SIP message header also includes adestination address310 and asource identifier315. Furthermore, a general SIP message includes aCALL_ID identifier325 that typically is unique to the calling SIP client, hereMSA205, that permits the SIP server, here, a selected RSP211-214, to identify the receiving point to which transmissions toclient MSA205 can be directed. In general, these fields are common to most SIP request/reply messages, including without limitation SUBSCRIBE, NOTIFY, and INVITE SIP messages. Selected embodiments of the present invention are capable of implementing a surveillance system, such assystem100 inFIG. 1 andsystem200 inFIG. 2 using SIP messages with SIP headers generated using standard SIP techniques.

FIG. 3B illustrates another exemplarySIP message header350 that also is identified as a SIPINVITE message header355. In accordance with standard SIP practice known to those of ordinary skill in the art, the SIP message header also includes adestination address360 and asource identifier365, as inFIG. 3A. However,SIP CALL_ID identifier375 may be modified to provide theexemplary RIR265, inFIG. 2, namely, “DX-2FO-3mm9-G9-AG6” or equivalently, “DX2FO3mm9G9AG6”, in place of a standard CALL_ID identifier, such asCALL_ID identifier325 inFIG. 3A. It may be advantageous forMSA205 to formRIR265, and to transmit a SIP message, such as a SIP INVITE message, havingCALL_ID375 thus modified. Upon activatingcontroller209, MSA can generateRIR265, and a SIP-capable applet executing on a processor withinMSA205 can substituteRIR265 inCALL_ID identifier375 header, so thatRIR265 can be dispatched toremote intervener RA250,RR275 in a single, relatively simple SIP message.

Many substitutions, modifications, alterations, and equivalents may now occur and be made by those having ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiments have been set forth only for the purposes of example, and that it should not be taken as limiting the invention as defined by the following claims. The following claims are, therefore, to be read to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth but all equivalent elements for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. The claims are thus to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent and what incorporates the idea of the invention.

Claims (24)

1. A mobile communications appliance, comprising:

a first transceiver configured to receive sensed data from a remote sensing post over a first wireless link, wherein the sensed data is representative of a remotely monitored space having a predefined spatial location;

a display coupled to the first transceiver and adapted to transform the sensed data into a perceivable representation of the remotely monitored space;

an intervention controller coupled to the display and wherein when activated in response to an event perceived on the display the intervention controller is configured to generate a representation of a unique spatial identifier corresponding to the predefined spatial location of the event in the remotely monitored space, wherein the unique spatial identifier includes geographic coordinates corresponding to the predefined spatial location, the intervention controller is configured to select an event melioration corresponding to the event, and the intervention controller is configured to generate a remote intervention request corresponding to the predefined spatial location and the event melioration; and

a second transceiver configured to transmit the remote intervention request to a remote intervener over a second wireless link in response to the intervention controller being activated, wherein the mobile communications appliance is a mobile surveillance appliance.

2. The mobile communications appliance ofclaim 1, wherein the sensed data received from the remote sensing post is sensed video data representative of the remotely monitored space; wherein the perceivable representation of the remotely monitored space is visual and the display is a video display.

3. The mobile communications appliance ofclaim 1, wherein the first wireless link is a fixed wireless link and the second wireless link is a mobile wireless link.

4. The mobile communications appliance ofclaim 3, wherein the sensed data received from the remote sensing post is sensed video data representative of the remotely monitored space;

wherein the perceivable representation of the remotely monitored space is visual and the display is a video display; wherein the unique spatial identifier includes geographic coordinates corresponding to the predefined spatial location;

wherein the fixed wireless link is configured according to an IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol; and

wherein the mobile wireless link is configured according to an ITU International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 wireless communication protocol.

5. The mobile communications appliance ofclaim 2, wherein the first wireless link is a fixed wireless link and the second wireless link is a mobile wireless link.

6. The mobile communications appliance ofclaim 5, wherein the fixed wireless link is configured according to an IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol.

7. The mobile communications appliance ofclaim 6, wherein the mobile wireless link is configured according to an ITU International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 wireless communication protocol.

8. The mobile communications appliance ofclaim 6, wherein the mobile wireless link is configured according to an ITU International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 wireless communication protocol.

9. The mobile communications appliance ofclaim 8, wherein the intervention controller generates the remote intervention request using an application-layer, text-based, messaging protocol.

10. The mobile communications appliance ofclaim 1, wherein the intervention controller generates the remote intervention request using a Session Initiation Protocol application-layer, text-based, messaging protocol.

11. The mobile communications appliance ofclaim 4, wherein the intervention controller generates the remote intervention request using a Session Initiation Protocol application-layer, text-based, messaging protocol.

12. The mobile communications appliance ofclaim 11, wherein the mobile surveillance appliance requests sensed data transmission from the remote surveillance post using a first message conforming to Session Initiation Protocol, wherein remote sensing post notifies the mobile surveillance appliance of sensed data being available using a second message conforming to Session Initiation Protocol, and wherein the mobile surveillance appliance establish a communications session using a third message conforming to Session Initiation Protocol, whereby the mobile surveillance appliance causes the remote sensing post to transmit the sensed data.

13. The mobile communications appliance ofclaim 12, wherein the mobile surveillance appliance encodes the remote intervention request on an outbound Session Initiation Protocol message to the remote intervener.

14. The mobile communications appliance ofclaim 1, wherein the geographic coordinates are sent in a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) INVITE message.

15. The mobile communications appliance ofclaim 1, wherein the intervention controller is activated by key or button on the controller being selected.

16. A mobile surveillance method, comprising:

a. receiving a remote intervention request in an outbound intervention message from a mobile surveillance appliance, wherein the remote intervention request corresponds to a perceived event represented on the mobile surveillance appliance, and wherein at least a portion of the receiving includes receiving over a wireless link coupled to the mobile surveillance appliance;

b. determining a predefined spatial location of a remotely monitored space for the perceived event from geographic coordinates included with a unique spatial identifier contained within the remote intervention request;

c. determining a selected remote intervention corresponding to an event perceived in the remotely monitored space from the remote intervention request.

17. The mobile surveillance method ofclaim 16, wherein the outbound intervention message is a Session Initiation Protocol message upon which the remote intervention request is encoded, wherein the determining the predefined spatial location includes analyzing a header of the a Session Initiation Protocol message and determining the predefined spatial location therefrom; and determining the selected remote intervention includes analyzing the header of the a Session Initiation Protocol message and determining the selected remote intervention therefrom.

18. The mobile surveillance method ofclaim 17, further comprising effecting a remote intervention to the perceived event in response to receiving the remote intervention request.

19. The mobile surveillance method ofclaim 18, wherein the wireless link coupled to the mobile surveillance appliance is one of a fixed wireless link and a mobile wireless link.

20. The mobile surveillance method ofclaim 19, wherein the fixed wireless link is configured according to an IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol and the mobile wireless link is configured according to an ITU International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 wireless communication protocol.

21. The mobile surveillance method ofclaim 16, wherein the geographic coordinates are received in a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) INVITE message.

22. A mobile surveillance system, comprising:

a. a remote sensing post configured to sense data representative of a predefined remotely monitored space corresponding to a unique spatial location, and coupled to a packetized data network capable of transmitting the sensed data from a fixed wireless access point using a wireless link; and

b. a mobile surveillance appliance configured to receive the sensed data from the fixed wireless access point using a first wireless link configured according to an IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol, wherein the mobile surveillance appliance is configured to provide a perceivable representation of the sensed data, wherein the mobile surveillance appliance is configured to determine the unique spatial location corresponding to the sensed data from geographic coordinates contained in a unique spatial identifier, wherein responsive to an event determined from a perceivable representation of the sensed data the mobile surveillance appliance is configured to a generate a remote intervention request having encoded thereon the unique spatial location corresponding to the sensed data, wherein the remote intervention request include an event melioration corresponding to the event, and wherein the mobile surveillance appliance is capable of transmitting the remote intervention request.

23. The mobile surveillance system ofclaim 22, further comprising a remote intervener configured to receive the remote intervention request transmitted by the mobile surveillance appliance, wherein the remote intervener is configured to determine from the remote intervention request the unique spatial location corresponding to the event and the melioration of the event; and wherein the remote intervener is one of human agent remote intervener, a remote automated intervener, and a combination thereof.

24. The mobile surveillance system ofclaim 22, wherein the geographic coordinates are sent in a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) INVITE message.

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